What is love? Meriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary states that it is a "strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties." Love is also a "warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion." One might see it as growing old with that special someone or as wanting to do anything for that special someone. It does not have to be between two lovers; it can be between a mother and a daughter, a father and his son, or between two friends. We see love everywhere in literature. We see it between Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. It occupies most fairytales, such as Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast.
Then there is Catherine and Heathcliff. Their love story is not one to follow the path. When the fork in the path appears, it veers off and follows the one less traveled. Their love creates revenge on each other.
Summary
In 1801, Mr. Lockwood, a somewhat vain man, rents out Thrushcross Grange from Mr. Heathcliff. After an overnight visit, due to a storm, it leaves him questioning the tale of the mysterious Mr. Heathcliff. When he returns home from Wuthering Heights, the name of Heathcliff's home, Lockwood comes down with a terrible cold. To occupy his time, he persuades his housekeeper Mrs. Dean to tell him the story of Heathcliff.
She begins her story in the year of 1771, the year when Mr. Earnshaw brought the homeless Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights. Nelly, as Mrs. Dean is known, grew up as a servent to the Earnshaw family. She is the age of Hindley, the eldest son of Mr. Earnshaw. The whole family detests Heathcliff, including the young Catherine Earnshaw. Her distaste towards Heathcliff soon changes and the two become inseperable. Hindley despises Heathcliff, especially since his father seems to favor Heathcliff over him. A few years after Heathcliff arrives, Hindley leaves for college and the problem disappears. At least, until Mr. Earnshaw dies three years later, in the year of 1777.
Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights with revenge up his sleeve. Now married, he takes over the role as head of the house. These are treacherous times for Heathcliff, who is treated like a servant and is forced to work in the fields. Despite this, he continues to be strong friends with Catherine. The two decide to wander over to Thrushcross Grange, with hope to tease the two snobby children, Edgar and Isabella Linton. Their plan is foiled when the family dog is sent out and they run. Unfortunately for Catherine, she is dragged down by the dog. Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights alone, leaving Catherine with the Linton family for five weeks. This is where their love story changes dramatically.
While at the Lintons' home, Mrs. Linton takes the responsibility of turning Catherine into a proper lady. This is mistake number one. Mistake number two is when she becomes friends with Edgar. Upon returning to Wuthering Heights a changed women, her relationship with Heathcliff will never be the same, for she now knows of social standings and the rich life.
Not six months after Catherine's return, Hindley's wife dies after his son, Hareton, is born. Alcoholism consumes him and he becomes even more abusive towards Heathcliff. While Catherine's relationship with Heathcliff is not the same as it was before the incident, her relationship with Edgar grows. Though she claims to love Heathcliff, she becomes engaged to Edgar for the purpose of social advancement. Heathcliff hears her say "It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now (Wuthering Heights page 62)" and immediately leaves Wuthering Heights.
Three years later, Heathcliff returns, mysteriously wealthly and bent on revenge with all who have wronged him. He lends money to Hindley, knowing how Hindley with use it with no purpose and dive farther into debt. Six months after his returrn, Heathcliff marries Isabella Linton, which puts him in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange. Catherine inflicts illness onto herself and ends up dying after giving birth to a little girl, whose name is Catherine. Hindley dies after her, leaving Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff. Isabella soon has enough of Heathcliff's cruelty and runs off to London, giving birth to a son by the name of Linton.
Brought up by her father, Cathy lives her first thirteen years in solitude, with no knowledge of the world that lays outside of Thrushcross Grange. When news of Isabella's illness reaches Edgar, he leaves for London. She dies not long after and Edgar returns with her son. Heathcliff finds out and immediately takes Linton away from his uncle, bringing him to Wuthering Heights. Linton is treated even more cruelly than his mother was.
Her cousin long forgotten, Cathy meets Heathcliff for the first time and is invited to his home. She meets Linton once again and they start up a secret romance through letters to each other. Heathcliff does not discourage it, however; it aids him in his plan for revenge on Edgar. As Edgar falls ill, Heathcliff invites Cathy and Nelly over to Wuthering Heights and holds them captive. He has Cathy marry Linton and soon after, Edgar dies. This leaves Thrushcross Grange to Linton, who dies not long after his marriage to Cathy. Thrushcross Grange is now in Heathcliff's hands, as well as Wuthering Heights. Cathy is held against her will at Wuthering Heights to act as a servent to Heathcliff.
Here, Nelly ends her story. As soon as Lockwood recovers, he immediately returns to London, appalled by the tale. Six months later, he pays a visit to Thrushcross Grange during a trip to visit his friend in Gimmerton. He meets up with Nelly, who has now taken residence up at Wuthering Heights. She tells him of how Cathy fell for Hareton, her mother's nephew and her cousin, and the news of Heathcliff's death. After her tale ends, Lockwood vists the graves of Catherine Earnshaw-Linton and Heathcliff.
Characters
Family Tree
Setting
Author
Full Name: Emily Jane Bronte
Pen Name: Ellis Bell
Born: July 30, 1818 - Thornton, Yorkshire, England
Died: December 19, 1848 (age 30) - Haworth, Yorkshire, England Quotes
What is love? Meriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary states that it is a "strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties." Love is also a "warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion." One might see it as growing old with that special someone or as wanting to do anything for that special someone. It does not have to be between two lovers; it can be between a mother and a daughter, a father and his son, or between two friends. We see love everywhere in literature. We see it between Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. It occupies most fairytales, such as Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast.
Then there is Catherine and Heathcliff. Their love story is not one to follow the path. When the fork in the path appears, it veers off and follows the one less traveled. Their love creates revenge on each other.
Summary
In 1801, Mr. Lockwood, a somewhat vain man, rents out Thrushcross Grange from Mr. Heathcliff. After an overnight visit, due to a storm, it leaves him questioning the tale of the mysterious Mr. Heathcliff. When he returns home from Wuthering Heights, the name of Heathcliff's home, Lockwood comes down with a terrible cold. To occupy his time, he persuades his housekeeper Mrs. Dean to tell him the story of Heathcliff.
She begins her story in the year of 1771, the year when Mr. Earnshaw brought the homeless Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights. Nelly, as Mrs. Dean is known, grew up as a servent to the Earnshaw family. She is the age of Hindley, the eldest son of Mr. Earnshaw. The whole family detests Heathcliff, including the young Catherine Earnshaw. Her distaste towards Heathcliff soon changes and the two become inseperable. Hindley despises Heathcliff, especially since his father seems to favor Heathcliff over him. A few years after Heathcliff arrives, Hindley leaves for college and the problem disappears. At least, until Mr. Earnshaw dies three years later, in the year of 1777.
Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights with revenge up his sleeve. Now married, he takes over the role as head of the house. These are treacherous times for Heathcliff, who is treated like a servant and is forced to work in the fields. Despite this, he continues to be strong friends with Catherine. The two decide to wander over to Thrushcross Grange, with hope to tease the two snobby children, Edgar and Isabella Linton. Their plan is foiled when the family dog is sent out and they run. Unfortunately for Catherine, she is dragged down by the dog. Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights alone, leaving Catherine with the Linton family for five weeks. This is where their love story changes dramatically.
While at the Lintons' home, Mrs. Linton takes the responsibility of turning Catherine into a proper lady. This is mistake number one. Mistake number two is when she becomes friends with Edgar. Upon returning to Wuthering Heights a changed women, her relationship with Heathcliff will never be the same, for she now knows of social standings and the rich life.
Not six months after Catherine's return, Hindley's wife dies after his son, Hareton, is born. Alcoholism consumes him and he becomes even more abusive towards Heathcliff. While Catherine's relationship with Heathcliff is not the same as it was before the incident, her relationship with Edgar grows. Though she claims to love Heathcliff, she becomes engaged to Edgar for the purpose of social advancement. Heathcliff hears her say "It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now (Wuthering Heights page 62)" and immediately leaves Wuthering Heights.
Three years later, Heathcliff returns, mysteriously wealthly and bent on revenge with all who have wronged him. He lends money to Hindley, knowing how Hindley with use it with no purpose and dive farther into debt. Six months after his returrn, Heathcliff marries Isabella Linton, which puts him in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange. Catherine inflicts illness onto herself and ends up dying after giving birth to a little girl, whose name is Catherine. Hindley dies after her, leaving Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff. Isabella soon has enough of Heathcliff's cruelty and runs off to London, giving birth to a son by the name of Linton.
Brought up by her father, Cathy lives her first thirteen years in solitude, with no knowledge of the world that lays outside of Thrushcross Grange. When news of Isabella's illness reaches Edgar, he leaves for London. She dies not long after and Edgar returns with her son. Heathcliff finds out and immediately takes Linton away from his uncle, bringing him to Wuthering Heights. Linton is treated even more cruelly than his mother was.
Her cousin long forgotten, Cathy meets Heathcliff for the first time and is invited to his home. She meets Linton once again and they start up a secret romance through letters to each other. Heathcliff does not discourage it, however; it aids him in his plan for revenge on Edgar. As Edgar falls ill, Heathcliff invites Cathy and Nelly over to Wuthering Heights and holds them captive. He has Cathy marry Linton and soon after, Edgar dies. This leaves Thrushcross Grange to Linton, who dies not long after his marriage to Cathy. Thrushcross Grange is now in Heathcliff's hands, as well as Wuthering Heights. Cathy is held against her will at Wuthering Heights to act as a servent to Heathcliff.
Here, Nelly ends her story. As soon as Lockwood recovers, he immediately returns to London, appalled by the tale. Six months later, he pays a visit to Thrushcross Grange during a trip to visit his friend in Gimmerton. He meets up with Nelly, who has now taken residence up at Wuthering Heights. She tells him of how Cathy fell for Hareton, her mother's nephew and her cousin, and the news of Heathcliff's death. After her tale ends, Lockwood vists the graves of Catherine Earnshaw-Linton and Heathcliff.
Characters
Family Tree
Setting
Author
Full Name: Emily Jane Bronte
Pen Name: Ellis Bell
Born: July 30, 1818 - Thornton, Yorkshire, England
Died: December 19, 1848 (age 30) - Haworth, Yorkshire, England
Quotes
Works Cited
The Reader's Guide to Emily Jane Bronte's Wuthering Heights. January 23, 2008. http://wuthering-heights.co.uk/index.htm
SparkNotes: Wuthering Heights. January 21, 2008. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/wuthering
Wuthering Heights. January 21, 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuthering_Heights
Emily Bronte. January 21, 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Bronte
Heathcliff: Black and White Drawing. January 22, 2008. http://www.kudzumonthly.com/kudzu/oct01/wuthering.html
Tree Photograph. January 22, 2008. http://static.flickr.com/119/263517251_a6640509c5.jpg
Cathy and Heathcliff Drawing. January 22, 2008. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http:lh3.google.com/_w5xbALAtQfo/RnvPzlku1II/AAAAAAAAACY/b3gOgVKclCE/s800/IMAG0212.JPG&imgrefurl=http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TTE_3ivax6p9lUwNYp0KQw&h=480&w=342&sz=44&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=_KRW-iwmMUa2LM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcatherine%2Band%2Bheathcliff%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DRNWE,RNWE:2004-40,RNWE:en%26sa%3DN
All photos were edited by Frannie with the help of the computer program Microsoft Picture It! Photo Premium 9.//